A NEW way of training those working in disaster management is being forged by the partnership with Coventry University and the oldest public university in Texas.

The university’s Serious Games Institute and Centre for Disaster Management and Texas A&M University will sign a memorandum of understanding tomorrow.

The MOU will see both university’s using their existing links to work on joint projects in relation to emergency rescue and disaster management.

The work will include developing and using serious games technology for teaching and learning purposes.

It will also see them developing personal and professional degree programmes between both institutions and establishing a centre to bring these together. The work will be supported by accredited university courses and international partnerships with other institutions.

Both Coventry University and Texas A&M University have an impressive track record in their respective fields and will build on the expertise already existing at both institutions.

Professor Sara de Freitas, director of research at Coventry University’s Serious Games Institute, said: “This partnership will help us to develop a consortium of higher education establishments that support rescue response and disaster management processes across the world.

“The main objective is to save lives, which is an important part of the ‘Save the World’ programme from the Serious Games Institute.”